Win or lose, Michael Roudbari brings the fun to Maple Leafs baseball games

By R.S. Konjek

It is Friday, June 19, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are about to play a ballgame against the Barrie Baycats. Players warm up on the field and fans gather.

A squad of blue-shirted club staffers are at work. Many of them have been here for hours, hanging sponsor banners on the outfield fences, unpacking Leaf-branded merchandise, and getting everything into place, including the smoke gun that is activated when a Leaf hits a home run.

Up in the booth, a couple of staffers provide pre-game music and announcements. At field level, the blue shirts sell merch and raffle tickets.

Ten minutes before the game is to start, their leader’s voice rings out. A pre-recorded intro welcomes everyone and hypes up the crowd.

“Our eyes are on the prize. It’s time to win it all. Are you ready? Let’s go!”

It’s Michael Roudbari, the voice of Christie Pits.

The 23-year-old Aurora native is in his third season as the Leafs’ game presentation manager and in-park host; his roles are many.

For the next three-plus hours, Roudbari will be the energy source that powers the between-innings entertainment at a Maple Leafs baseball game. He will exist in a   stream-of-consciousness state playing master of ceremonies, activations manager, social media overseer, fan liaison, leader, motivator, game show host, and troubleshooter.

The troubleshooting begins before first pitch, when the sound system cuts out.  Roudbari uses a walkie talkie to communicate with the booth. They conduct a hasty analysis. “Shut it off, then turn it back on,” he suggests. The fix works, and sound returns 30 seconds later.

At the pitcher’s mound, a young woman performs the national anthem. Moments later, she is replaced by starting pitcher Cam Dimidjian, and the game begins. 

A new signing, Dimidjian gives up a run to the Baycats, and the Leafs fall behind right away.

For Roudbari, the action on the field is a sidebar to the in-game fun he has plotted out in advance. He landed this job by sending an email to the club, and they took him on. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, he spends his days as an assistant producer for the Daryn & Deepa Morning Show on 99.9 Virgin Radio. Tonight, it’s his job to keep everyone at Christie Pits engaged, no matter the score.

In the bottom of the first, Leafs shortstop Brandon Leroux hits a flyball deep to center   field. Roudbari scrambles for the smoke gun, but the ball stays in the park, no home run. Later in the inning, Leroux scores on a hit by Yasiel Puig, and the game is tied 1-1. That will be as good as it gets for the home side tonight.

In the top of the second inning, Barrie takes a 4-1 lead. Roudbari is approached by a fan requesting a birthday shoutout for his significant other. He adds it to his in-game itinerary and radios instructions up to the announcer.

By the bottom of the third inning, Barrie leads 5-2.  

It’s time for the “Jackass” movie promo. Roudbari and his team distribute t-shirts, posters, and other paraphernalia to fans. They end up with some left over. He urges his crew to up their energy. “You gotta get into it more,” he says.  

The Leafs are not off to a great start this season. They entered the game with a record of 3-10 and have scored the fewest runs of any club in the league.  

As night settles in, Roudbari tells his team it’s time to give out the glow sticks.  

“Lots of our giveaways are based on the crowd, based on the score, and based on the vibe,” he says. “We always have a scheduled activation, but I do like to switch it up.”

The crew members fan out, and 100 battery-powered multi-coloured light sticks end up in the hands of fans. 

Soon, the park is alive with waving lights. “They look so good. I love them. Why don’t we do this every game?” He makes a note to up the number of glow sticks to 250 next time.

The Leafs have kept it close, but a grand slam by Barrie makes it a 9-4 game.  Enthusiasm at the park flags.

“Let’s have some fun. It’s too quiet. It’s Friday.” Roudbari recruits a couple of fans for a doughnut-eating contest. They wage a closer battle than that on the diamond. One of them wolfs down five doughnuts in 60 seconds and wins.

“That was amazing. That was the best one yet,” Roudbari says.

Away from the park, he enthuses about his crew. “My game day team are so good at what they each do that it allows me to focus on hosting and having a good time.  They’re also just nice people, so going to work is something I cannot complain about.  It’s my favourite thing to do!”

It is late in the game and Barrie still leads. 

Food and merch sales are closed, and the crew begin dismantling the various tables and tents.

Halfway through the eighth inning, word spreads that the Toronto Marlies have just won the American Hockey League championship. Roudbari marches onto the field to announce the news, finally making use of the smoke gun.

The moment proves a final highlight. The Leafs lose 9-5.

Six hours after they went up, the sponsor banners are taken down. Everything is packed away and stored in the clubhouse.  

A few nights from now, Roudbari and his crew will be back to do it all over again.  

Despite the Leafs’ record, he loves the job. He sees it as a springboard to hosting radio or TV shows. 

“I want to be the next Canadian Ryan Seacrest,” he says.

The Maple Leafs season continues through August.

More information about the Leafs can be found at www.mapleleafsbase ball.com. 

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